Forgiveness
by Isabel Night
Summary: While seeking shelter from a thunderstorm inside a Catholic Church, Dais meets an unusual woman. This unusual woman encourages Dais to forgive himself and leave the past behind him. But who is this woman?


**Disclaimer**-I will never own Dais, nor will I claim that this is an actual sighting of the Virgin Mary. Dais belongs to his respective owns and producers; the Virgin Mary belongs to History. I don't own any of them, and I never will.  
  
**Dedication**-This piece of work is dedicated to Sister Rosemary of Buffalo, New York and all of the Gray Nuns that live around the world. May God bless and protect every one of you.  
  
**Warning**-This is a religious fan fiction. Flame me for writing this and you will be laughed at for your immaturity and your review will be deleted.  
  
**Notes**-The quote at the end of this story is found in _Luke 1:28_ from the Holy Bible: New International Version.

_Forgiveness  
Isabel Night_

__

"This is the last time I ask Cale to tell me what the weather is like in the Mortal Realm!" A rain drenched Dais angrily muttered as he ran down one of the many streets crisscrossing Downtown Tokyo. The former Warlord of Illusion was seeking some type of shelter until the thunderstorms that had settled over the city were gone. Before Dais had left the Nether Realm, Cale had told him that today was supposed to be sunny and warm, much like it had been for the past two weeks. However, a sudden cold front had come down from Russia and began mixing with the warm weather that the residents of Tokyo had been enjoying. Moreover, when the cold air and the warm air had collided…a nasty thunderstorm had been born.  
  
As Dais was racing around the city, he came a across an empty Catholic Church. Deciding that he would seek shelter in this building until the thunderstorm had passed over him, the Warrior of Summer opened one of the large wooden doors and quickly entered the church. When he finally got inside, the Warrior of Summer made his way towards a series of long wooden benches, or a "pews" as they were called, located in front of an area of the church called the "sanctuary."  
  
When Dais had made his way towards the front "pew," the former Warlord finally took a seat, and began to take in his surroundings. The walls were white, with a group of pictures Dais recognized as the "Stations of the Cross." On top of the "Stations of the Cross," were multi colored glass windows that showed scenes from a mortal book called the "Bible." Dais didn't care one way or another; he wasn't a Christian, so these pictures meant absolutely nothing to him. As his eye continued to wander around the room, Dais' gaze suddenly fell upon a large object called a "Crucifix" in the center of the "Sanctuary."  
  
The former Warlord of Illusion knew what a Christian "Crucifix" was…he also knew what the "Crucifix" meant. However, if this "Crucifix" was sign of unconditional love and forgiveness, then this so-called singular Christian God needed something the mortals call a "reality check." Dais knew that he had done so many horrendous things that no one could ever truly forgive him…much less love him unconditionally. Anubis claimed that he had forgiven him, but the former Warlord of Cruelty was dead. Besides…how does someone love a person unconditionally if they aren't even alive to express that love?  
  
Deciding that this philosophical debate was not worth his time or his effort, Dais closed his eye and prepared to drift off to sleep. But just as he was going into deep sleep, the former Warlord of Illusion jerked his eye open and began to scan the immediate area for any type of disturbance. Much to his complete surprise, he noticed a young woman sitting right next to him. This young woman was probably four feet, eight inches tall; she had tan skin, dark brown hair, and western eyes. What surprised Dais the most about this woman was the fact that she was wearing a dry pink kimono with gold roses embroidered on the design. To the best of his knowledge, it was still raining outside…so why wasn't this young woman wet from all the rain?  
  
The woman wasn't looking at Dais, but instead, she kept her eyes glued to an oil painting that was located to the right of the "Crucifix." The picture was that of a woman hold a baby boy in a loving and protective embrace, and when Dais looked at the woman again, she sighed and began to speak. "A mother's love is unconditional. She loves and supports her child…no matter what happens."  
  
"I wish it were that easy," Dais muttered under his breath.  
  
The woman turned and looked at Dais. "Why do you say that?" She asked in a calm, soothing voice.  
  
"You wouldn't believe me." The former Warlord muttered, shaking his head.  
  
The young woman chuckled. "I've seen and heard quite a bit in my lifetime. I think you would be quite surprised."  
  
Dais closed his eye. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this young woman who, from what it looked like, was flirting with him. He just wanted the rain to stop so he could go back to the Nether Realm and give Cale a piece of his mind.  
  
Then, much to Dais' astonishment, the young woman got up and walked over to the oil painting. "A mother knows when her child is in pain. She loves her son and/or daughter enough to comfort, guide, and console them. It is…the same way with a father; he loves, guides, protects, and cherishes his child. I'm sure that one day…you will be a great father to your child."  
  
That comment caused Dais to burst out laughing. "I'm a failure as a father…just like my father before me."  
  
The woman turned away from the painting and smiled at the white haired warrior. "What if I told you, that you did not fail as a father? What if I told you that you did your best at being a father; you followed your heart, you cared for those you call your own, and you gave three strangers your unconditional acceptance and love? That…my child is not a sign of failure."  
  
Dais rolled his eye, "If you already know so much about me, then why don't you just give me the answer?"  
  
"Because unless you internalize all the love you have been both given and shown, you will never truly get over your guilt. Yes, one of your own died for you, but you fail to realize that he loved you and your friends enough to do that final saving act. If you had never truly loved him…or failed as a father figure, then all nine of you be dead…or worse, you would have suffered many fates worse than death."  
  
Dais laughed at that comment. "Who would want to forgive me? I'm beyond hope…even the hope of this Christian God. I've killed so many people…I've shattered so many lives…who would want to forgive me for all the things I've done?"  
  
The young woman made her way towards Dais, sat down next to him, and put a comforting hand on his left shoulder. "Yes, I agree that you have made mistakes in the past…and I also believe that you want put your past behind you…but that doesn't mean that you are beyond hope. You have given yourself the illusion that you are purely evil, but in truth, you have managed to balance both forces."  
  
Dais furrowed one of his eyebrows. "And what good has come out of those 400 years? What good has come from serving a demon?"  
  
If Dais was expecting this young woman to be startled…much less told that he had gone mad, then the former Warlord was sorely mistaken. Instead, the young woman only smiled and replied, "You cared for your friends, you loved them as your own, and as I have said before, you gave three complete strangers your unconditional acceptance and love. Someone who is truly evil could never do such a thing…and yet…you, a person who claims to be pure evil, have created a bond of friendship that has weathered almost every event in your turbulent life. You have admitted to making mistakes, but you are also trying too hard to cling to the past. In order to let go of the past, you have to forgive yourself and move forward with your life. What's done is done, and even though you have stumbled and strayed, you still had a part your humanity that this demon never truly touched. You were not just a person who made mistakes; you were a father, a brother-in-arms, and a friend. Reflect and work on those successes…and perhaps then you will find the peace and forgiveness you have been looking for."  
  
Dais looked at the young woman and sighed. "Do you really believe that?"  
  
"Yes I do. By the way…that thunderstorm that was overhead…it has finally passed over the city. I believe…you were trying to get home?"  
  
"Yes, I was." Dais replied, wondering where she had got that information.  
  
"Alright then, be safe," the woman smiled.  
  
Nodding, Dais got up from the pew and made his way outside. When the former Warlord got about two blocks away from the church, he looked up at the clearing sky and saw a vibrant rainbow shining overhead. Knowing that this rainbow was a good omen, the Warrior of Summer summoned a gate that lead to the Nether Realm, and made his way back towards the castle.  
  
Inside the church, the young woman sighed. Guiding all of God's children was a great joy, but guiding those children who are lost in despair was an even greater joy. As the woman turned to look at the Crucifix, she began to remember the words the Archangel Gabriel had once spoken to her. The words that would forever mark her as the Mother of God: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

_THE END_


End file.
